Since this album also serves as a soundtrack to the Richard Lester directed film of the same name, I decided to do some additional homework for this entry and watch the film. This was my first time seeing the movie, and I must say it was great fun. I was able to get a glimpse of the band's personalities, and gain a greater understanding of why the world was so captured with their charm.
Watching the film also gave me a greater understanding of the songs on the album, and I must admit that I now find myself picturing the corresponding scenes from the film when I listen to the LP. For those unaware, side one of the record contains songs that were featured in the film, and side two features the remaining songs culled from those writing sessions. This differs greatly from the American version of the LP, released by United Artists, which served specifically as a motion picture soundtrack. That record featured all of the songs found on side one of the English release which were included in the film, as well as a portion of the instrumental music contained in the film, arranged by Beatles producer George Martin.
Taking a look at the packaging, recreated for this reissued box set, we see that the construction of the LP sleeve remains unchanged from the band's previous releases. For this album, the cover contains a collage of black and white photos of the band. These harken back to a scene from the film in which the band members mime facial expressions as a barrage of photos are taken. It makes for a whimsical cover that really fits the tone of the film. If we compare this cover to the aforementioned American LP (which I just so happen to have a well worn copy of) we see that the photos are still utilized, but with quite a different interpretation.
The back cover once again contains some very informative liner notes from Tony Barrow, and includes some still photographs from the film. One of the most interesting pieces of information given in these notes is that this album is the first Beatles record to contain all original songs, making this particular album an important milestone in the band's career.
I mentioned how much I enjoyed the film, but I'm not here to blog about classic cinema now am I? If you're looking for film discussion, I would highly recommend you check out The Hitless Wonder Movie Blog. which does a tremendous job with that sort of thing. I am here, however, to talk about the music, so let's get to it shall we?
We begin with the familiar opening chord of the title track. Like most people, I have heard this song hundreds of times, and it sounds really fresh in this presentation. There are a few things that stand out, which seemed to be buried in the background before, most of them percussion related. Specifically, the cow bell is now more noticeable. All of the background instruments appear to more at the forefront, yet not overpowering the vocals. It is a nice balance that continues for most of the record.
Next is "I Should Have Known Better" which sounds like it's been given a new lease on life to my ear. There is a lot going on in this song. Harmonica, vocals, guitar, etc... But the songs does not sound muddled despite this activity. It sounds as if I am hearing it in 3D. I continue to be amazed at how alive these songs sound in mono. I am especially impressed that the song's high-register vocals do not sound pitchy or grainy as music recorded from this era often does.
"If I Fell" follows, and features a softer vocal than we are used to hearing from John Lennon at this point in the bands career. The song features some great harmonies once the chorus kicks in, and it's incredible how clean and discernible the individual voices are despite the harmony.
The next song is "I'm Happy Just To Dance With You." The thing that stands out to me about this track, is a plunking percussive sound, found throughout the song's verses. It's not coming from the drums, but possibly the bass or rhythm guitar. Regardless of its origin, it is very unique. I went back and listened to my American stereo copy for comparison. The sound is there, but much more difficult to recognize. It could easily be mistaken for a drum sound with it being buried so low in the mix. It is always fun to discover these little nuances between the stereo and mono mixes.
Up next on the docket is the ballad "And I love Her." This already beautiful song sounds even prettier with the clarity this mix brings to the table. McCartney's vocal appears to be double tracked, and the acoustic solo is bright, not twangy. The individually picked guitar notes, and percussion are clearer than I am used to hearing them. Another win for mono!
"Tell Me Why" is next up, and it is a bit of an anomaly for this album. It sounds as if it has a completely different mix than the rest of the record. It's also quieter than the other tracks, almost like it needs to be turned up. The mix is also muddier and jumbled together, with Lennon's voice sounding grainy at times. This is a great song, but sounds as though it were poorly mixed. This is a rare misfire from the set, and I am left scratching my head wondering why it sounds so poor compared to the rest of the album.
Side one wraps up with "Can't Buy Me Love," which was already a big hit for the band at the time of this album's release. The drums and bottom end dominate the mix here. This song has a wonderful groove, and features some of McCartney's best work on the bass in this blogger's opinion. There appears to be nothing amazingly noteworthy provided by the the mono mix on this particular track.
Excerpt from the set's hardcover book
Side two begins with "Any Time at All." This is a roaring track that jumps right out of your speakers. A fitting opening track for the album's second half. Lennon's voice sounds great on the vocals, specifically the chorus. The track features an interesting guitar solo that sounds as if the notes are simultaneously being mimicked on the keys. It results in a unique effect that really stands out. Ringo really shines on this track, with his drums sounding clean and crisp.
Next is "I'll Cry Instead," a catchy and playful tune that ends far too quickly. It is followed by "Things We Said Today." This is a song I wasn't too familiar with until recently. It has a very different vibe than many of the band's other songs of the time period. It features yet another double tracked vocal, this time provided by McCartney. The song is much more chord driven rock than pop, an amazingly catchy tune with a great bass groove. It's quickly becoming one of my early era favorites.
Next up is "When I Get Home." The song stands out from an audio standpoint in a couple of interesting ways. First are the vocals. They sound less polished here, but compensated for with more emotion. The song has a heavy focus on background vocals as well, again with a grittier feel. My favorite thing about this song is listening to Lennon sing the pronunciation of "triv-ee-al-i-tee"... fun stuff.
"You Can't Do That" is the next song on side two, and it may be the best sounding track on the album. The intro / outro passages sound alive and vibrant. The percussion is very present, due in large part to the cowbell making its return. Lennon's raspy rock n' roll vocal chops are cutting through my speakers, and Harrison's is really expressing himself on the solo, which has a looser and blusier vibe than normal. It's a little glimpse into the more impressive guitar chops he would show us down the road. This is an absolutely great song!
The album comes to a close with "I'll Be Back. A bit of a laid back song, and a seemingly different approach to an album closer for the band. On their first two records, the band chose rip-roaring, rowdy rock numbers to finish their albums. In my opinion, "You Can't Do That" would have been a better closing number, but who am I to question George Martin? If nothing else, this change again shows a band willing to shake things up instead of painting by numbers. The track is acoustic guitar driven, and the band sounds very tight. At this point in my journey through the collection, I shouldn't be surprised how clean these guitars sound in mono, but they still catch my attention.
Notes:
This is the band's first album to not feature a lead vocal performance from Ringo.
Final thoughts:
The Beatles didn't have the luxury of relying on other people's hits to help propel this album, so does it hold up with the band's previous two releases? In my opinion, it not only holds up, it surpasses them, instantly becoming their best, and most complete album to date. The album contains two of the band's most recognizable hits, the title track, and "Can't Buy Me Love," along with several other Beatle classics. We get to see The Beatles truly hitting their stride here, capturing the band at the height of Beatlemania. They were heroes in their homeland, had just conquered America, and were now movie stars with their own successful film. Where would they go next?
We'll find out next time, when we take a closer look at the bands fourth album, "Beatles For Sale"
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